PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jan Rupponen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andrij Golotov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jan Rupponen could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Andrij Golotov's chin.

Rupponen
vs
Golotov

175 cm
18
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jan Rupponen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Andrij Golotov!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rupponen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rupponen keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A head kick misses from Golotov.

Golotov shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Golotov wants to control from the top but Rupponen keeps moving.
Golotov lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Golotov stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rupponen swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Golotov thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Rupponen trying to control the position.
Rupponen is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Golotov is controlling him.
Golotov looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Rupponen gets caught flat footed, as Golotov shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Golotov looks gassed!
Rupponen is trying to keep Golotov in close.
Rupponen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Rupponen is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Golotov is controlling him.

Rupponen has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Golotov off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Rupponen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Golotov counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rupponen!

Golotov gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!

Golotov scores a takedown into full mount!
Rupponen tries to hold on but Golotov pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Golotov raining down shots from the mount!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A nice elbow there by Golotov.
Rupponen wants to control but Golotov is having none of it.
Golotov can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Rupponen is looking to escape.
Rupponen wants to control but Golotov is having none of it.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Rupponen wants to try and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Golotov moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Rupponen has worked his arm free - good work by Rupponen!
Rupponen is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Rupponen's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Rupponen wants to get back to his feet.
Golotov is putting a hurting on Rupponen here, landing some big shots from side control.
Rupponen pushes Golotov away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Golotov gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Golotov looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Golotov working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Golotov is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Rupponen has escaped the position, nice work there.
Rupponen wants to control but Golotov postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrij Golotov dominated that round.
That's time! Rupponen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Rupponen misses with a combination

and Golotov counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Golotov scoring with punches to the head and body.
Golotov cracks Rupponen with a solid left hand.
Golotov wants to control from the top but Rupponen keeps moving.
Golotov might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Rupponen kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Golotov drops back looking for a leg! Rupponen is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rupponen manages to kick Golotov off! Golotov jumps back into Rupponen's guard.

Rupponen scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Golotov is breathing heavily.
Rupponen misses with a takedown attempt

and Golotov counters with a shoot takedown. Rupponen fights it but they end up in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rupponen looking to control.

Rupponen scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Rupponen fails with a takedown attempt.

Rupponen gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Rupponen looking for a guillotine here but Golotov defends easily.
Golotov slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Golotov drops back looking for a leg! Rupponen is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rupponen manages to kick Golotov off! Golotov jumps back into Rupponen's guard.
Rupponen keeping moving, preventing Golotov from controlling successfully.
Andrij Golotov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rupponen wants to sweep but no luck.
Golotov looking to pass the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rupponen is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Golotov scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Golotov throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Golotov prevents Rupponen from improving his position.

Golotov is working for a kimura but Rupponen is defending it quite comfortably.
Golotov looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Rupponen is not content to let Golotov control the position.

Golotov is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rupponen defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rupponen makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Rupponen pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Golotov feints and as Rupponen raises his hands in defense, Golotov changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Rupponen looking for a sweep. Not yet Rupponen, not yet.

Golotov stands and steps away. Rupponen gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Jan Rupponen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Golotov swats away the attempt to clinch by Rupponen.

Golotov looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Golotov wants to control from the top but Rupponen keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrij Golotov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

The fight stays on the outside here - Rupponen looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Golotov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rupponen is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Golotov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Golotov darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rupponen is trying to control but can't.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Golotov wants to take a breather but Rupponen is having none of it.

Golotov is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Rupponen has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rupponen pushes Golotov off looking to stand but Golotov dives back in and keeps control.
Golotov tries to stand and escape but Rupponen is controlling the position.
Golotov missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Golotov trying to control the pace.
Golotov throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Rupponen gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Golotov counters with a nice double leg into side control. Rupponen won't be happy with that.

Golotov wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Rupponen, who protects the arm well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rupponen prevents Golotov from moving into mount.
Golotov working away.
Rupponen is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Golotov has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Golotov is trying to get an arm triangle but Rupponen is defending well.
Golotov lands a few punches from side control.
Golotov cracks Rupponen with a big elbow.
Rupponen is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Golotov asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Rupponen prevents Golotov from improving position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Golotov is looking to take a break and control but Rupponen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rupponen tries to buck Golotov off but Golotov is having none of it.
Rupponen can't do much from the bottom here.
Rupponen pushes Golotov away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Golotov gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Golotov drives through with a takedown into guard.

Golotov stands up and waves to Rupponen to follow him.
Rupponen throws a sloppy head kick and Golotov moves out of range easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Golotov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rupponen moves in looking to clinch but Golotov pushes him off.

Golotov decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Golotov is keen to just control but Rupponen is a slippery customer.
Rupponen desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Rupponen looks like he's trying to stand up.
Rupponen keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andrij Golotov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Golotov has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andrij Golotov!